In the Light of Experience

It is your Lord who propels your ships across the sea so that you may seek His bounty. He is indeed Merciful towards you.

When at sea a misfortune befalls you, all but He of those to whom you pray forsake you; yet when He brings you safe to dry land, you turn your backs upon Him. Truly, man is ever thankless.

(The Quran 17:66-67)

This world is functioning in consonance with particular laws set forth by God Himself. That is what makes it possible for man to travel over the water, in the air and on the earth. This was so ordained that man might recognize the blessings of God and be His thankful servant. Regrettably, whatever man sees happening to him and around him, is considered by him to be all a matter of cause and effect. All the events that stem from the munificence of the Creator are taken as happening on their own. These engender neither feelings of gratefulness to God nor the realization of His might.

The realization of God is deeply embedded within man’s own nature but rises to the surface only in times of great calamity, in the face of which he feels himself helpless. For instance, when a tempest overtakes his ships on some vast ocean, all artificial veils are removed from his vision. He recognizes the One God and starts invoking Him alone.

Man is made to undergo this temporary experience in order that he may mould his entire life accordingly, with momentary recognition turned to permanent faith. But how sad a reality it is that he is reminded of God only on such occasions as being engulfed in tempests. It is even sadder that he becomes oblivious of his Saviour as soon as he is delivered from the storm.

Accepting the uniqueness of God’s divine nature is tawheed (monotheism); refusal to accept it is shirk (paganism, polytheism and idolatry). The reality respectively of tawheed and shirk are recognition and non-recognition of the oneness of the godhead.